General contractor ECRMJV LLC., an Eamon Chase, Inc., and Robins & Morton Joint Venture, officially began a renovation of Building One at the historic Bay Pines VA Healthcare System on Sept. 28.
Over the next two years, Building One will undergo a complete interior renovation of the second through fifth floors, as well as a partial renovation of the first floor and attic level. The second through fifth floors will be reclassified from institutional, hospital occupancy to business occupancy to accommodate primary care outpatient services. The project also includes exterior work, including a new accessible covered entry, parking improvements, and landscaping.
Building One was originally constructed in 1933 as the main hospital on the Veterans Administration Bay Pines Medical Campus and was known as the “National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers” at the time. After construction of the replacement hospital in 1983, Building One underwent an initial restoration in 1987. The facility currently houses the healthcare system’s Veterans Canteen Service which includes a food court, retail store and barber shop. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
“It’s a unique opportunity to be able to renovate a historic building that has helped to heal our servicepeople for such a long time. We look forward to having the building continue that mission for years to come,” Robins & Morton Senior Project Manager Michael Skrobis said. “The ECRMJV team has a special connection to the building’s purpose as we are a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business Mentor Protégé Joint Venture, and it’s a privilege to carefully restore this place for its new life.”
The renovation will be complete in late 2023.
“I am incredibly excited to be a part of a project that will impact thousands of veterans and help provide them with quality healthcare for many years,” Eamon Chase, Inc. President and U.S. Army Veteran Brett Sanborn said. “As a veteran myself, I understand how important healthcare is to the men and women who served our great nation. A project of this magnitude helps ensure that veterans will continue to receive the healthcare that they have earned.”
In addition to Building One, ECRMJV LLC has also been awarded a complete kitchen renovation in Building 100.